Chongqing Tournament
The Chengdu Panda Rugby Team is back on track. For the past two years, the Chengdu Pandas have been at or near the bottom on the rung of West China, with precious few wins and too many losses. Our recent showing in Chongqing was excellent. Our first game against the renowned Kunming Flying Tigers was called off due to an injury. No surprise there, the Kunming team is a very physical team. We won our second game against the Southwest University team, an all-Chinese team which uses speed and passing. They have shown amazing improvement over the past year. They even score first, and we have to come back. Our third game was a tie with the Chongqing Conquerors, which is a team loaded with talent from around the rugby world. The Chengdu Pandas are coalescing around just the right mixture of veteran and new players – Frankie, from Hong Kong, has been a part of the team for some time, keeping us entertained; while some of the new ones grew up playing rugby, like Kyle from Edinburgh, Scotland, who anchored the team in the Number 10 position. The new distinguished themselves. Maarten, as it turns out, has the strength of a Dutch field ox. He carried the ball with multiple opponents on his back. Matthew, from Alabama, also new to the game, both gave and got in the middle of the action. We had several brand new players from Norwich University, a military academy in Vermont, just for this semester: the temps. Connor, Michael and Seth, all of whom earned a permanent position on the team if they were staying. For the first time, our rugby virgins did not have the “dazed and confused” look on their faces. Bringing the university newbies to the rugby team was the handiwork of Andrew Bosworth, who, despite being American and as old as dirt, is still somewhat useful on the field; being immune to injury helps. Sam from New Zealand played the Number 9, as did Todd, the American. And those two players were effective in different ways. Sam is quiet, slight of build and fleet footed. Todd, really more of a natural forward, used his large frame to power through the opposition, barking orders to the Pandas along the way. Also directing the team from the sidelines was Dan from Australia, a veteran who now provides coaching and guidance for the team – especially when Liberace and Todd are occupied by the game as players. Liberace's play also represented continuity. He made key tackles and carried the ball forward in his particular style, as if it were precious and breakable – as if it were the World’s last dinosaur egg. Ed, from Houston, has successfully transferred his American football talents into rugby. Not everyone can cross over. Ed was our top scorer last Saturday, pushing himself across the try line on several occasions. Liam, from Scotland grew up with rugby, and knows where to be and when, got into the action. Liam was lifted in the lineouts and made key plays. Toby drafted in from the night before and even though missing his morning train still made an incredible effect to show up in Chongqing. He showed his experience and skill by seamlessly fitting into the team set up. Jack, also a late addition to the team, proved his mettle by taking on players twice his size. It was like watching a remake of David against a team of Goliaths. As a team, when we are down we keep fighting. When we are up we still play hard as hell. The Chengdu Pandas are back!